At my church, we recently redesigned our entire bulletin. Here are a few things we learned through the process:

1. Remove Clutter

Open your current bulletin and cut out anything that is nonessential. This will help ensure your message is clearly communicated.

Simplicity is the goal. Try to look at your bulletin with fresh eyes or as a first time guest. Is it overwhelming to look at? Is it confusing?

2. Limit the Number of Announcements

Church members will always request (sometimes demand!) that their announcements make it into the bulletin. An overwhelming amount of text will actually keep people from reading the announcements. Keep the number of announcements to between six and eight. Also, each announcement should be short, focused, and to the point.

3. Include an Order of Service

Many churches are removing the order of service from the bulletin, but people like to know what is coming up next. An order of service helps orient new visitors to your church's ways and customs.

4. Add a Section for Sermon Notes

Encourage engagement with the sermon by adding a section for sermon notes in the bulletin. This can include a basic outline of the sermon.

5. Use Color

Color grabs the eye's attention and eases readability. Printing a full-color bulletin each week can get pricy, but there are economical ways to create a bulletin with color each week.

In our recent bulletin redesign, we crafted a full-color bulletin template filled with our logo, headings, and more. We ordered thousands of copies in bulk at a fairly reasonable price. Then, each week we just print the black text on our church copier. Amazingly, we were able to have a full-color bulletin for right around the same cost as our old black and white bulletin.

6. Eliminate Clip-Art

Nothing says early 90's like cliché church clip-art. If you use images in your bulletin, use high-quality images designed by someone who knows some basics of graphic design.

A visitor who comes to your church for the first time should learn all they need to know about your church from your bulletin. Find a place for your mission statement, website address, and physical address of your church.

8. Consult with a Designer and Keep It Consistent with Your Brand

Many pastors and church staff members are unfamiliar with graphic design trends. If you're redesigning your bulletin, consult with a graphic designer to help you think through the design of your bulletin. If you have a church brand, keep it consistent. We recently worked with a graphic designer to create a church logo, color palette, and even a church font. Keep it consistent.

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